Scripps to stream 100-plus live games on new Scripps Sports Network

Scripps is building on the momentum of its sports programming by launching a new streaming channel called the Scripps Sports Network.

The 24/7 free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel, which debuts March 24, will air 100-plus live games across the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Major League Volleyball (MLV) and more.

It’s the biggest investment into live sports for a FAST channel to date. Scripps, which also holds rights to four NHL teams, the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and Big Sky college football and basketball, will also feature content focused on those teams.

In 2025, combined streaming viewership for the NWSL and WNBA on Scripps-owned ION was up 25%, according to Scripps. The new network will stream 59 NWSL games live, 10 PWHL games and 12 MLV games.

“Our recent live sports streaming growth tells us that fans are hungry for more,” Brian Lawlor, Scripps Sports’ president, said in a statement. “A dedicated 24/7 sports FAST channel allows us to further leverage our existing sports rights, create a platform for emerging league partnerships and grow our position in sports.”

Sports content is starting to break through on FAST services. The Roku Channel made history by airing the first MLB game on a FAST channel in 2024, and the 2025 Super Bowl streamed on Fox’s Tubi. Sports programming on FAST platforms has skyrocketed in the past year, with the number of channels jumping 34% in 2025, according to Nielsen’s Gracenote.

Seth Walters, Scripps’ head of CTV sales, told The Current that he’s confident the new channel will stand out with not just live sports, but also shows like Kevin Hart’s Cold as Balls and original interview series with longtime NFL reporter Suzy Kolber and Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross.

“From day one, based on the live events that we’re bringing into this space, we’re going to have a great offering for television-viewing audiences,” he said.

It won’t just be viewers who benefit. Advertisers will be able to reach sports-hungry audiences more effectively on the new channel than on ION, which is primarily an entertainment network.

“With Scripps Sports positioned squarely within the sports-genre of electronic programming guides, the channel is built to benefit from algorithmic discovery and organic viewership, ultimately making it easier for brands to connect with larger audiences of sports fans,” Walters said.

Riding the women’s sports wave

State Farm, which has been a title sponsor for the WNBA on ION since 2023, will be a launch partner for Scripps Sports Network and wants to continue capitalizing on the popularity of women’s sports.

WPP recently reported a 79% year-over-year increase in ad impressions for women’s sports. Additionally, ad spend rose 69%.

“We’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible energy and passion fueling women’s sports,” Baldwin Cunningham, head of media and partnerships at State Farm, said in a statement. “Investing in women’s sports isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s good for business and it elevates athletes, inspires fans and creates meaningful opportunities that strengthen communities nationwide.”

Scripps Sports Network launches days after the WNBA reached a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement. Scripps holds the local rights to the Las Vegas Aces, who have won three of the last four WNBA championships.

“We’ve been an early partner of the WNBA before it took off like a rocket ship on the shoulders of some of the great athletes that that joined that league more recently,” Walters said.